Jalen Duren's rise has been one of the most exciting parts of the Detroit Pistons' dominant regular season, and lately, he's put himself in rare territory that only Wilt Chamberlain has entered.
Not only has the big man given the Pistons a running mate to Cade Cunningham that they can builld around, but they've found a center who can exploit mismatches on a nightly basis courtesy of his old school fundamentals.
Looking ahead to the offseason, Detroit is preparing to ink the Memphis product to a long-term extension that's expected to make him one of the highest paid frontcourt weapons in the league.
And looking at the recent tear he's been on to write his name alongside the likes of an NBA legend like Wilt Chamberlain, it's easy to see why the Pistons are eager to lock up their star center.
Jalen Duren joins the likes of Wilt Chamberlain with recent stretch
Over the last six games, Duren has been in a league of his own in terms of domination across the board.
While Duren may have been in a league of his own over the last six games, his recent stats averaging 25.0 points and 9.2 rebounds over his last six games elevated him to a league alongside the late and great Wilt Chamberlain.
By averaging at least 25.0 points per game, while shooting over 80% from the field, Duren finds himself as the first player to post these type of numbers since Wilt did it in February of 1967.
Six games may be a small sample size, but this type of dominance is the exact type of play that clarifies what fans already know; Duren is an absolute star.
The 22-year-old has repeatedly been asked to step up, and on countless occasions, he's risen to the challenge.
That alone, is the exact reason why the Pistons could be one of the hardest outs when the NBA Playoffs begin.
Duren is a walking mismatch
The play from Duren stands out on paper, but it's important to understand that the big man's stats aren't the only thing to be optimistic about.
When the postseason begins, there's no doubt that Duren will be a big key to Detroit's success, especially against other top frontcourts in the East.
In a league where frontcourt players are stretching the floor at an all-time high, it's become rare for teams to find a bruiser in the paint, especially on the caliber of Duren.
Between his physicality on offense and ability to crash the boards, the big man will be an absolute nightmare for opposing teams to deal with in a seven-game series.